Being green and environmentally friendly is very important right now. Businesses are also starting to become greener because their customers value it. This is good news not just for the environment but also for those interested in starting businesses that have a positive impact on the environment. One of the most popular green business sectors is the recycling sector.
A recycling business can supply raw materials, refurbished goods, and recycled goods and one that creates new products using recycled materials. These businesses are the reason why we now have products such as paper straws.
South Africa has a growing recycling industry. According to reports, 46% of plastic is recycled in South Africa. Additionally, paper is recycled at 70%, beverage cans and metals are recycled at 72% and glass sits at 42%.
These stats show that South Africans are willing to do their part for the environment. It also shows that there is a need for more recycling businesses in the country. You can take advantage of this need by starting your own recycling business.
In this article, we look at some of the recycling business ideas that you can start and make money from.
Paper Recycling
There is a lot of paper being used which means that there are a lot of trees being cut down. And as much as the world is going digital, the usage of paper has not slowed down at all. You can help the environment and people by starting a paper recycling business.
You can collect paper, newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes from various places. For the next steps, you will need some equipment for cleaning the paper of any ink or dirt.
Alternatively, you can collect the paper products and go to a recycling plant where you will get paid for the paper you bring in. Some companies that buy waste paper include Phepha, Paper Waste Man and Roodepoort Recycling. These companies are based in Gauteng, but you can find similar companies near you.
E-waste Recycling
E-waste is the term used to describe any electrical or electronic equipment that has been thrown away. This can include computers, old cell phones, laptop servers, old kitchen appliances and other electronic devices. E-waste can be a threat to the environment if not disposed of in the correct way.
You can collect people’s old tech and recycle it for money. You can either send it to another recycling company or reuse the parts to create something new, fix something existing or just get rid of it safely.
Furniture Recycling
A lot of people take their old and broken furniture and put it on the street for anyone to take. You can utilise these pieces of furniture and upcycle them to create new pieces. Using power tools, you can take old chairs, tables, dressers etc and turn them into new pieces that you can resell.
You can also use the old wood from the furniture to create shelving and storage units. Additionally, if the item is still in decent condition, you can fully restore it and charge for it.
Glass Recycling
Many people do not know that glass is 100% recyclable. This means you can use it as many times as you want, and it will not diminish its quality.
You can take old glass products and turn them into new products to sell. You can create vases, candle holders, containers for liquid, centrepieces etc. Because glass doesn’t lose its quality, the ways you upcycle it are basically endless.
Food Waste Recycling
There is a lot of food that goes to waste. If you start a food waste recycling business, you can collect the food waste to create fertiliser. Additionally, you can reuse foods such as fresh meat bones to make stock, which you can also sell to people.
The majority of foods can be reused to grow more. This means you can take things such as lettuce hearts to plant them and grow more lettuce which you can sell to your customers.
Recycling Plant
A recycling plant business is one that aims to convert materials such as cardboard, paper, glass, plastic and organic matter into materials for new products. This business can be extremely profitable, especially with a lot of companies looking to go green.
You can sell your recycled materials to construction companies that need to meet certain requirements to ensure their buildings are green-certified.
However, before you can get excited about your recycling plant, you need to know that it will require a significant amount of investment, especially for equipment, facilities and staff. You might need to apply for funding.
If you think you want a recycling business that handles different materials, read our article about metal recycling.
